Giancarlo Stanton Relates to Anthony Volpe as Yankees Shortstop Faces Bronx Boos

Giancarlo Stanton knows what it’s like to hear boos in the Bronx. On his very first Opening Day in pinstripes back in 2018, the crowd let him have it after a five-strikeout game.

That’s why he can relate to what Anthony Volpe is going through now.

Volpe was booed on Wednesday after striking out to end the Yankees’ nine-run third inning in an 11–2 win over the Nationals. It was part of another hitless night in a brutal stretch. He has gone 25 straight plate appearances without reaching base, his average is down to .206, and his OPS is at a season-low .662.

Stanton told the New York Post the toughest part of a slump is the mental toll. “The most frustrating part of when I’ve gone through tough times is the mental part,” Stanton said. “You think about it from when you wake up to when you go to sleep. And that gets detrimental, too. You have to simplify everything.”

Aaron Judge offered his own advice, saying it’s about how you channel it. “We’re all humans,’’ Judge said. “It’s about how you use it. Are you gonna use it to crumble and in a negative way or just tell yourself you’ve got to play better? You have to use it as motivation.”

The Yankees gave Volpe two days off earlier this week to reset. Since then, he’s made some hard contact, Aaron Boone said. He had a 106-mph drive to the warning track on Tuesday and a 103-mph lineout on Wednesday. Still, the strikeouts continue to pile up. Boone believes the issue is mechanical, saying Volpe isn’t consistently getting into his hitting position, though he praised the shortstop’s defense.

While he's taking the heat, Volpe isn’t alone in struggling at the bottom of the order. A

ustin Wells and newcomer Ryan McMahon have scuffled, too. But as the everyday shortstop and former Gold Glove winner, Volpe’s struggles have drawn the sharpest focus.

That’s where Stanton’s perspective resonates. He knows how quickly the boos can turn and how heavy it feels in the moment.

“He’s handling it as well as you can,’’ Stanton said. “He works as hard as anyone. We’re all supporting him.”

For the Yankees, the hope is that a week on the road, starting with four games against the last-place White Sox on Thursday night, gives Volpe the space to breathe, regroup, and find his swing again.